Lessons on transformation from those that crawl to those that fly

When we talk of transforming ourselves we can often underestimate the effort and impact such endeavours entail.  In order to understand how much trauma can play a role in such a major alteration, it is worth looking at the animal world for indications of what can be expected.  For some creatures, transformation can be as simple as shedding skin like a snake. While for others it can involve a barbaric total acidic immersion.  There is a lot to learn from these processes as there are parallels to our own process of transformation.

Unlike humans who shed their skin continually, roughly 30, 000 to 40, 000 cells every minute, snakes lose their outer layer in one continuous sheet. This process can happen every few weeks, for young snakes, and only a few times a year or even less for adults.  The signs that shedding is about to happen are

1. Snakes have specially-adapted scales over their eyes called eye caps. Snake’s eyes that are about to shed their skin turn a cloudy bluish colour temporarily (this change arises as a result of a lubricant secreted just under the outer layer of skin). During shedding, even these eye caps usually come off 

2. Their old skin looks dull coloured and their belly may appear pinkish.

3. Habits change, the snake spends more time hiding and its appetite may decrease or it even may stop eating completely. 

4. The snake, whose eyesight during this period is poor, becomes more nervous or defensive.

5. In an effort to get rid of their old skin snakes may look for rough surfaces to rub against or search for water to soak in. 

6. Snakes should not be handled during shedding as this shedding process causes stress.

In preparation for this transformation, snakes change habits, their colour, their habits and their normal nature.  Until it is complete even their eyesight deteriorates. 

So, look out for these signs in your own transformation.  You may not be able to see clearly and feel insecure and slightly defensive. You long for closeness while on the other want to run away.

Perhaps one of the most dramatic and total transformations is that of a humble caterpillar into a glorious butterfly.  The caterpillar hatches from an egg and stuffs itself with leaves until it grows plumper and plumper.  Like the snake as it grows it sheds its skin.  Then, suddenly the caterpillar stops eating and hangs itself from a twig or leaf having spun a silky cocoon around it.  

Inside the cocoon, a bizarre nightmare begins.  The caterpillar releases enzymes that like an acid bath dissolves all of its own tissues.  If you cut into such a cocoon an amorphous gloop would pour out.  However, among this gooey mess, there are survivors of this digestive process, a group of cells known as ‘imaginal discs’. These dormant discs have survived since the caterpillar was developing in its egg and each one will provide ultimately each of the adult body parts it needs as a mature butterfly (one disc for eyes, another for wings, yet another for legs etc). The discs use the protein-rich soup from all the rest of the disintegrated tissues to generate the rapid cell division necessary to make wings, antennae, legs, eyes, genitals etc for the adult butterfly. This magical metamorphosis is at a pace hard to get your brain around. The imaginal disc for a wing can begin with just 50 cells and end up with 50, 000 cells.  

It seems although transformation is incredibly varied there are powerful parallels of the caterpillar’s metamorphosis that mirror our transformation process. It often starts with being broken down into a very basic form by challenges external and internal.  This process is painful and feels that almost everything that is you, experiences slow and almost total destruction. Then, following this an amazing reconstruction begins at an incredible unbelievable pace.  The person you were before crawled leaving slime behind. The transformed you can soar skywards in a blaze of beautiful joyful colour.  

"The most important journey you will take in your life will usually be the one of self transformation. Often, this is the scariest because it requires the greatest changes, in your life.”

Shannon L. Alder

I wouldn’t spit on ye if ye were on fire!

There are expressions that are so colloquial even a person living in the region may not recognise them. It reminds me of my son who had been taken to a small mountain village on the island of Rhodes in Greece and was disturbed to find no one seemed to speak Greek. By now fluent in this language he found it disturbing that he could neither understand anyone nor make them understand him.  A dear friend of mine had taken him with her family to visit this remote village and was unaware of how disturbing Daniel had found each and every interaction. It turned out that particular village had a very heavy accent that even native Greeks would have found hard to follow.  This happens almost everywhere to some degree. Here in Northern Ireland, we have many expressions that are very confusing for outsiders. For example, instead of saying yes, we say aye (pronounced "I").  I remember visiting an elderly uncle, in Craigavon hospital, and having to translate for him for the local nurses who just could not follow his strong border accent.  There are many obscure expressions we use in Northern Ireland that when abroad I must remember not to use to avoid confusion.

Saying                                                         Meaning

What's the craic?                     What is going on?

Houl yer whisht                     Shut up and listen!

Boys a dear                     expression of surprise

My grandfather would greet us with this expression ("Boys a dear"), repeated two or three times when we walked into his home, and the delight in his voice as he said it was the most welcoming sound I can remember as a child.

Jammy sod                             Meaning a person is really lucky

                                                                    (usually resentfully said)

Scundered                                                    feeling disgusted and upset

Will you stop faffin about                     Would you stop messing about!

He seems dead on                     He seems a good person

We'll have a yarn                     We will have a good chat

I wouldn’t spit on ye if ye were on fire     If you were burning I would not waste my spit

                                                                     on you to put it out

I can remember an older guy in the school bus trying to chat up a schoolgirl and she responded with the devastating response “I wouldn’t spit on ye if ye were on fire” 

Would you look at that eejit     Would you look at that fool

It's pure baltic out there              It’s very cold weather out there

I'm foundered out here              I’m freezing out here

my nerves are up to high doh      I am highly stressed

Were you born in a field             Are you an animal that you don’t close doors

I fell in the shuck              I fell into a muddy ditch

I can recall visiting an aunt of mine who continued to herd cattle in the fields into her nineties and would rear grandchildren on her lap sitting beside a black range in the kitchen.  She used a massive coke bottle filled with milk with a huge teat to feed these babies and every year yet another baby seemed to replace the one that had grown.  She did have seven sons and one daughter and lived into her hundredth year.  I once remember her greeting us along the lane with a tiny muddy toddler in her hand saying she had just pulled him from the shuck!

I am absolutely boggin I am completely covered in mud/dirt

Catch yourself on! You cannot be serious!

Fancy a dander? Would you like a walk?

My father always told the story of a lad in his village who took his loved one for a daily dander.  They were engaged after 14 years of such formal walking out and to all accounts had a successful and happy marriage.  Courtship in those days was sometimes slow and steady.

Will ye quit your gurning! Stop complaining or moaning!

You better wind your neck in! I’m warning you to stop speaking like that!

 I'm dying for a poke I’d really like an ice-cream cone

When we visit a seaside town my mother, now in her 89th year, will often announce gleefully, “Shall we have a poke?”

Then, there are the particular expressions that were unique to my family.  My grandfather used these and I thought they were normal expressions everyone knew,

He’s a shit house rat The piggery had huge rats as big as cats and

                                                                were very aggressive so unscrupulous dishonest

                                                                characters that you should not trust were called this

Do you wanna grow a pig’s foot? If you don’t eat this food you will end up

                                                                growing a pig’s foot

As a child, if you were reluctant to clean your plate of food this expression would be whispered in your ear in an ominous tone by my grandfather.  I never understood the connection between not eating and the possibility of this deformity but the threat had its effect and no crumb would be left.  Rather than a long description of how healthy the particular food was this ominous prediction quickly insured no food was ever wasted.

The strange thing is that such different dialects are not only hard to follow but can lead to isolation or misunderstanding.  However, the words we use are just one aspect of trying to communicate. Almost every home has its own subtle peculiar language both in terms of vocabulary used, tone, volume and atmosphere.  Things that appear confusing to others just do not translate.  It is no wonder then that many of us struggle at times to get our message across.  Despite having the same basic language, we sometimes do not recognise the particular dialect being used.  Even when we know the dialect we occasionally don’t understand that family’s conversational norms.  Their sensitivities, their education level, the unseen conflict zones and their history of family communication. There can be no-go areas that can make a minefield into which you can stumble unaware.  This business of relating to others is a journey that real life is made of.  

There will be mistakes and misunderstandings but there is just so much to learn from this game and so much more to be gained than lost.  Everyone we meet is an opportunity that is infinitely precious if we are humble enough to see it that way.  Making communication work with others strengthens both their and our own abilities in many ways.  Having the empathy, sympathy, and insight to realise that it may not always run smoothly ensures we don’t give up at the first obstacle.  Just because we fall at a few fences does not mean we should quit the race.  It just means we may need more practice with a wider range of people over a longer time period.  Sometimes what we cannot understand with our mind, we can grasp with our heart and what we cannot feel with our heart we can sense in our soul.

“The soul has been given its own ears to hear things that the mind does not understand.” 

Rumi

Lessons from the Bees

There are days that bring a sigh to the heart.  Day followed by day with no respite.  Too many souls feel growing despair within.  At such times it can be hard to remember the joy that will come in the future.  We need to cling to hope,

… that days as sweet as honey may once again return. 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá 

Life sends tests that can crush but perversely that makes good times that follow more joyous.  These highs and lows are both aspects of life’s landscape and give it depth.

Honey doesn't lose its sweetness because it is made by bees that sting. 

Matshona Dhliwayo

But when in the darkest valley of despair, it is hard to gain that perspective that change and recovery are already coming.

This deadly poison shall give way to purest honey, and this sore wound will at last receive a healing balm. 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

What can help is the kindness and compassion of those near us. 

Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. 

Proverbs 16:24

A degree of humility however is necessary in order to receive the help we sometimes need.

The world is plentiful with honey, but only the humble bee can collect it. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Progress can come at a surprising speed when there is a clear purpose to any day.

The sweetness of life lies in usefulness, like honey deep in the heart of a clover bloom. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder

In a materialistic world, the competition for resources can blind us to what actually uplifts the spirit.

The bee is more honoured than other animals, not because she labours, but because she labours for others. 

Saint John Chrysostom

To look around and feel truly alone is the very worst form of poverty.  

A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside. 

Winnie The Pooh 

In some ways, this life is about searching, like the bee, for that special flower but the ultimate aim of all such endeavours is love.

Life is the flower for which love is the honey. 

Victor Hugo

 During this search, the watchword is to do no harm, only good.

As a bee without harming the flower ... flies away, collecting only the honey, even so, should the sage wander in the village. 

Buddha

And this doing good has to become second nature, not a task done for reward or trophy.

We ought to do good to others as simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne. 

Marcus Aurelius 

A practical call to action for all

In the last decades many have shown a considerable capacity to learn and to grow.  Hand in hand with that personal development service and love for others has also grown.  Despite all this progress, the coming challenging decades will require abilities seemingly impossible from today’s perspective.  Given this, it is vital that we now seek urgently to fortify both ourselves and the communities we live in.

Often, we find ourselves missing something necessary for our growth, tranquillity and spiritual development. That ideal ingredient for any individual, community or institution is the understanding and belief that all are part of world-wide community.  Only when this concept is accepted can real progress, peace and the serious problems facing humanity begin to be solved.

In any endeavour whether material or spiritual a vision is required, an overriding clarity about the objectives to be achieved. It helps to have this in our minds at all times. Our purpose in life is clear, to work for the betterment of the world and to help humanity to live in concord and harmony.  To achieve this, we will require more than our own endeavours it will also require a vibrant, outward-looking community working alongside us.  The journey to our goal will have to entail both spiritual and material progress.  In order to build momentum, meaningful conversations with those around us are necessary and will help shape that very development. However, if the betterment of the world is to be achieved still more is needed. In order to trigger a society-building power, energies latent, but so far largely unexpressed, in humanity will have to be awakened.  It is worth focussing on some vital much-needed qualities.

Qualities of cooperation and mutual assistance will have to be developed to ensure human society advances in both progress and prosperity.  Sufficient moral vigour and spiritual health will prove basic necessities for individuals and communities everywhere.

The betterment of this world will be dependent on other basic qualities, singularly lacking in today’s society, such as unity, trustworthiness, mutual support, collaboration, fellow feeling, selflessness, commitment to truth, a sense of responsibility, a thirst to learn and most importantly love.  This is not an intellectual exercise in self-advancement it is a practical call to action for all.  Make no mistake, the degree to which we respond to the pressing needs of the age in which we live will determine all our futures and indeed those of future generations.

"The civilization of today, for all its material prowess, has been found wanting.."

The Universal House of Justice 

All at sea learning from the past

In this photo, I was 5 years old and had been dressed up for a fancy dress competition on board the P&O Orient ship, Orcades while travelling home to N. Ireland after two years in Australia.  I have few memories of this except my father telling me to smile and shake my tambourine and hips when parading in front of the judges of a fancy dress competition.  I did neither and scowled at them furious that I should be subjected to this cattle show.  This photo captures me on deck just before the competition started blissfully unaware of what lay ahead. (PS when I first posted this Facebook/Meta blocked my posting as obscene, hence the label!).

The skirt is still in this house, stored in a plastic bag in our garage attic.  My Mum stores everything safely and that is why I also found this document below which was stamped on the exact same trip in May of 1964. 

It records my receiving the Smallpox vaccination on board ship.

Smallpox had been the torment of humanity for over 3000 years. In the 20th century alone 500 million died from this dreadful disease.  Just 55 years ago smallpox was still to be found in 30 countries and 15 million people caught the disease every year. Of those 15 million, 2 million would die.  As a result of this in 1959, the year after I was born, the World Health Organization (WHO) started an initiative to rid the world of smallpox. However, this worthwhile global eradication campaign was short of funds, personnel, vaccines, and most importantly commitment from enough countries. Because of these factors, smallpox was still widespread in 1966, causing regular outbreaks across South America, Africa, and Asia.  The reason for my vaccination on board ship was that we would be stopping at many of the ports still plagued by this disease.  

The world community did not give up and an Intensified Eradication Program began in 1967 with considerable determined effort across the world. The 33rd World Health Assembly was able to declare the world free of this disease on May 8, 1980. In terms of international public health, the eradication of smallpox is considered an outstanding success.  A united world approach worked and today children no longer even need to be immunised against this dreadful killer disease.  

Today's COVID pandemic has caused a division of opinions as well as suffering and loss of lives.  I have relatives who are convinced the whole business is a conspiracy/fake and are devastated at what they see as their loss of freedom.  Another group of relatives has experienced bereavement and are understandably furious that anyone doubts the seriousness of COVID. They feel angry that vaccinations are not being accepted and that those who refuse them end up filling much-needed intensive care beds.  

As always, we will not know the whole story until much later when we look back at all the successes and failures of various countries and their approaches.  I feel the debate has become too toxic of late.  If we are to learn the valuable lessons from such incidents the level of discourse will have to be elevated not debased.  

Following scientific advice, I decided to vaccinate.  With a vulnerable elderly relative, I wanted to do everything in my power to safeguard them and others in my community.  After all,  herd immunity has succeeded in controlling other contagious diseases such as smallpox, polio, diphtheria, and rubella.  There are always people who for serious health reasons are unable to vaccinate and they rely on the herd protecting them.  It reminds me of how a herd of buffalo forms a circle around the young and vulnerable when attacked by predators. If someone chooses not to take a particular vaccine for ideological rather than medical exemption reasons it perplexes and saddens me but does not make me want to protect them any less.  If they can benefit from herd immunity then I am happy.  It is just worrisome when too many make that choice to remain unvaccinated as it can end up threatening the safety of us all.  More importantly, there are other challenges the world are facing now that will necessitate acting in unity.  Without unity, so many other vital endeavours will simply become impossible.

58 years ago I was part of a courageous and daring world experiment to eradicate a killer disease that had plagued the world for over 3 millennia and we must be grateful to all those who initiated, sustained, and participated in that endeavour.  It is only usually in hindsight that we can see the effects of medical intervention on a global scale.  But even from this present perspective, it seems hostility, division, and toxic debates do little to benefit the well-being of our world community. 

"The well-being of mankind, 

its peace and security, 

are unattainable 

unless and until 

its unity is firmly established."

Bahá’u’lláh

Where and Why are people dying?

The news should faithfully reflect what is happening in the world. Understandably, it is vital that the public is kept informed of issues facing humanity so that appropriate decisions and actions can be taken. In the recent film “Look up” the storyline involves physicists who are horrified to discover that an astronaut will hit the Earth in five months causing an extinction-level event. However, their attempt to get this vital news out to the general public, when political leaders did not respond, was met by the media with a mixture of ridicule, distraction and mockery. The preferred news feature covered was the on/off romance of a famous young female music star. The movie felt tongue in cheek at times but its statement on political power and the role of media highlighted a growing disconnect between what news we consume and the actual important issues facing us as individuals, communities, or as a global community. 

This disengagement has very real consequences to us all.  Especially when facing global pandemics or global warming or water shortages, pollution, economic collapse, famines or wars.  A report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) concluded that there was overwhelming evidence that the “health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.” 

In fact, it is clear that we are not just putting the security of our own lives in jeopardy as already 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction.  It is not too late to act but there is little evidence that the seriousness of the situation has got through either to the general public or our leaders.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released repeated reports that are also frankly frightening from scientists but these have resulted in a minimal response from a distracted, disunited world community.  Why when information is available on the problems facing humanity does the media somehow fail to get across what is important?  Over a century and a half ago the importance of news and the requirements of those who convey the news was spelled out succinctly,

“In this day the mysteries of this earth are unfolded and visible before the eyes, and the pages of swiftly appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world; they display the doings and actions of the different nations; they both illustrate them and cause them to be heard. Newspapers are as a mirror which is endowed with hearing, sight and speech; they are a wonderful phenomenon and a great matter. But it behoveth the writers thereof to be sanctified from the prejudice of egotism and desire and to be adorned with the ornament of equity and justice; they must inquire into matters as much as possible, in order that they may be informed of the real facts, and commit the same to writing.”

Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 171

It seems clear that invested interests, egos and other agendas have meant that real facts often remain hidden and prevent equity and justice being implemented.  A population that is distracted is also easily manipulated. Take a look at the front page of almost any newspaper, media outlet and be amazed how much of the news is of no worth at all.  Celebrities, scandals, character assassination have become our daily diet alongside tales of murderers, criminals and thieves.  It is not just that real news is so rarely reported it is more that our tastes have become so skewed to the perverse we are not really that interested in anything else.  

So what is real news, worthy of attention?  Well, if people are dying somewhere in the world then surely, we need to hear about that in case something can be done to stop it.  My first investigation turned to available data online for the year 2021 showing how many people died in each country.  However, this is not an accurate comparison as if you have a huge population then it is be expected you would have a larger death toll.  In order to make a proper investigation, you need to calculate the number of deaths per one thousand people per year.  Thankfully someone has already done it.  Here is the link.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/death-rate-by-country

I have to confess the top ten countries surprised me, here they are for 2021

1. Bulgaria (15.433)

2. Ukraine (15.192)

3. Latvia (14.669)

4. Lesotho (14.144)

5. Lithuania (13.737)

6. Serbia (13.194)

7. Croatia (13.17)

8. Romania (13.099)

9. Georgia (12.816)

10. Russia (12.785)

If you read further down the reasons for such high death rates in each country is outlined and makes for depressing reading. It consists of low vaccination rates, poor health systems, alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, smoking (e.g. 25% of the population of Croatia smoke), cardiovascular disease, cancer, suicide, road accidents, homicide etc. It also surprised me that Lesotho is the only African country in the top ten countries with high death rates.  Stunning to find out that life expectancy at birth in Lesotho is 56 years for females and 52 years for males.  In Hongkong, the life expectancy is 84.7 for females and 81.8 years for males. This means males in Hongkong will live on average almost 30 years longer than a male in Lesotho! 

What do these facts tell us? Well, it certainly reminds us that equity and justice are not being experienced by a lot of nations.  Another useful resource to look at to see where we are globally is the link below.  Check out how many cigarettes are being smoked worldwide and how much money is being earned from illegal drugs the figures blow one’s mind devastating that there are at present over 785 million of us without access to safe drinking water.

https://www.worldometers.info/

Finally, genocide is often what jumps to mind when you think of deaths worldwide and there is a useful link that monitors genocide worldwide putting areas into either genocide watch, genocide warning or genocide emergency categories depending on how serious the situation is.

https://www.genocidewatch.com/countries-at-risk

This is important because sometimes there are signals of approaching trouble.  In Rwanda in 1994 between 500,000 to 800,000 people were slaughtered in over less than four months (7th April – 5th July) and half a million women were raped. In hindsight it was discovered that from January 1993 to March 1994, a total of 500,000 machetes were imported into Rwanda, statistically one for every three adult Hutus in the country. 

There are studies that allow us to monitor violence worldwide and see where mass killing is happening https://earlywarningproject.ushmm.org/map for 2020/2021.  The early signs seem to have consistent features and these include among other elements,

• Instability: One of the strongest signs of the potential for genocide is large-scale instability (armed conflict, a coup, revolution, or uprising). In these environments, leaders and citizens may be more willing to consider violence to protect themselves and what they value.  

• Ideology: Genocide often happens when leaders believe that some people in the country are inferior or dangerous because of their race, religion, or national or ethnic origin. 

• Discrimination and violence against groups: Where genocide occurs, there usually have been earlier acts of discrimination, persecution, and violence against people who belong to a certain group. 

Make no mistake the people living in the areas highlighted on this map are experiencing very real danger.  If we were experiencing this we would probably try to flee for safety. It is not surprising then that 26.4 million people around the world live as refugees.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has just given a New Year’s Address and in light of all that has been mentioned above, I wanted to start this year with his words not least because the world’s media will probably not be sharing it widely.

“The world welcomes 2022 with our hopes for the future being tested.

By deepening poverty and worsening inequality.

By an unequal distribution of COVID vaccines.

By climate commitments that fall short. 

And by ongoing conflict, division, and misinformation.

These are not just policy tests.

These are moral and real-life tests.

And they are tests that humanity can pass — if we commit to making 2022 a year of recovery for everyone.

Recovery from the pandemic — with a bold plan to vaccinate every person, everywhere.   

Recovery for our economies — with wealthier countries supporting the developing world with financing, investment and debt relief.

Recovery from mistrust and division — with a new emphasis on science, facts and reason.

Recovery from conflicts — with a renewed spirit of dialogue, compromise and reconciliation.

And recovery for our planet — with climate commitments that match the scale and urgency of the crisis.

Moments of great difficulty are also moments of great opportunity.

To come together in solidarity.

To unite behind solutions that can benefit all people.”

Inspiring Words to lift the heart